Assistive Listening Devices 

Hearing aids, both Prescription hearing aids and Over-The-Counter (OTC) hearing aids are not classified as Assistive Listening Devices, or ALDs.  That is, hearing aids are medical-grade devices and are in a class by themselves, namely, "Hearing Aids".

Prescription hearing aids must meet strict FDA* requirements and can only be purchased through a licensed hearing professional, such as an Audiologist or Hearing Aid Dispenser.

Likewise, OTC hearing aids must satisfy the FDA's OTC requirements but can be purchased at many retail stores, such as drugstores, electronics stores, department stores, or online.

Be aware that many of the products advertised as 'hearing aids' and  'OTC hearing aids' in newspapers or magazines are actually ALDs or PSAPs.

In contrast to hearing aids, ALDs, which are commonly referred to as PSAPs or Personal Sound Amplification Products, are devices that amplify sounds to make them louder. There are no Federal or State requirements for ALDs. See the Demo Center Devices section of this website for some product examples. 

There are many shades of grey with ALDs.  Some do no more than amplify all sounds in the hearing range.  For instance, car keys dropped on a counter, or the restaurant din would be amplified along with the person's voice that you are trying to hear. That's not to say that they are not helpful but they might not be very selective of competing sounds.

Some other ALDs might incorporate noise cancellation technology to help reduce background or spurious sounds.  And there are other, more sophisticated ALDs that can tailor the sound amplification to closely match your hearing loss, providing an approximation to the basic function of hearing aids.

We invite you to contact us for further information.  Click here to send us a question or comment.

* Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Federal Government.